admonition, but also for their lives! But this is a striking instance of the insensibility and brutality of the human mind, when it is neither rectified or softened by the influence of education, and by the knowledge of God'. In the end, the fruitfulness of God's promise to St. Paul was manifest. That took place which only could have happened through His providential care. Two hundred and threescore and sixteen persons, 66 some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship, escaped all safe to land"." SECT. CCXLVIII.—Paul is kindly entertained at Melita.— Acts xxviii. 1-10. "AND when they were escaped, then they knew that the island was called Melita." It has been a subject of some discussion among the learned, whether this is the island now called Malta, or another in the Adriatic sea, bearing the name of Melida. It is stated, in the account of the storm, that "we were driven. up and down in Adria;" but it has been shown, from the writings of ancient geographers, that the term Adria comprehended all the sea lying between Sicily and Crete. Tradition has constantly pointed to Malta as the place where St. Paul was shipwrecked; and, as this is an island in the Mediterranean sea, between Sicily and Africa, but nearer to Sicily, and as it is thus › Bp. Pearce. 3 Jones of Nayland. 4 Abp. Sumner. situated as to suit exactly the course afterwards taken by St. Paul, the most general opinion is, that the island of Malta is here intended. It is supposed to have had its name of Melita at first, from the great quantity of honey it produced. In modern history it has been more celebrated and known from having been long possessed by the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who were thence called the Knights of Malta 6. "And the barbarous people" (so the Greeks and Romans called all who did not speak their language) might have put many a civilized land to shame. Instead of endeavouring to prey upon the shipwrecked crew, and to profit by their misfortune, they "showed them no little kindness: for they kindled a fire, and received us every one, because of the present rain, and because of the cold;" but from the sticks, when they began to grow warm by the fire', "there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on Paul's hand: and when the barbarians saw the venomous beast hang on his hand, they said among themselves, No doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, vengeance suffereth not to live." Thus it appears that this barbarous people had some notions of a God and a Providence, and of a particular vengeance that was due to murder, and did not fail to pursue it; indeed, 7 Bishop Pearce. 6 Dr. Wells. there is hardly any nation to be found destitute of some general notions of religion: so careful has God been not to leave Himself entirely without witness: "And he shook off the beast into the fire, and felt no harm." They expected his immediate death from this poisonous creature; "but after they had looked a great while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a god"." Certainly God was with him, and here fulfilled one of "the signs which should follow them that believe: They shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them'." Another "sign sign" he was now about to show forth, that "they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Publius, a principal man," the chief of the island," (probably the Governor',) entertained the shipwrecked company with singular hospitality, and he was well repaid for his kindness. His father being afflicted with a disease, which threatened his life, “Paul entered in, and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and he healed him :" and several others of the inhabitants, afflicted with any kind of diseases, he restored to their former health and strength; for which they not only showed him the highest marks of their esteem, but," when they departed, they laded them with such things as were necessary We are not distinctly told to what extent Paul carried his influence among the inhabitants of Melita; we are not told that he led the people, whose diseases he healed, to the God, by whose power he healed them. But we cannot doubt the fact. Surely, he would not stay three months amongst these simple and friendly islanders without endeavouring to instruct their ignorance. They supplied his temporal wants; he could not have been insensible to their far worse spiritual destitution 1. SECT. CCXLIX. - Paul arrives at Rome. Acts xxviii. 11-16. - “AND after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was Castor and Pollux :" these were two heathen deities, brothers, of great valour in the wars, which had been, in ancient times, waged against corsairs and pirates; and, accordingly, they were thought to be propitious to mariners. It was usual with the ancients to have the patron or tutelary god painted upon the stern or forepart of the vessel; and this was the "sign" here mentioned3. 'And landing at Syracuse, we tarried there three days:" this was a city of Sicily, with a port, which had the sea on both sides of it. When in its splendour, it was the largest and richest that the Archbishop Sumner. ' Dr. Whitby. 3 Stackhouse. 4 66 Greeks possessed in any part of the world. It contained a famous temple of Jupiter, and other temples, an amphitheatre, and the renowned fountain of Arethusa; the walls of the embankment towards the sea were all built of marble; and it is said that the spoil of it was equal to that of Carthage; it still bears the ancient name ". Instead of pursuing a straight course from hence, they now kept along the island of Sicily', “and came to Rhegium," a port town in Italy, in that part which is nearest to Sicily. It is thought to have had this name given it by the Greeks, who supposed that about this place Sicily had been broken off from the continent of Italy by the sea;—“ and we came the next day to Puteoli," which town is said to have taken its name from the natural baths or pits of water which abound here for the cure of several diseases". Puteoli was a city of great trade and commerce; whence it is not surprising that Christian converts should be found there, as they now were, indeed, in every place of great resort and concourse of strangers. At the request of these Christians, Paul and his friends obtained permission to remain here a week. At this place, then, he quitted the ship, and thenceforward proceeded by land towards Rome. The account of his approach had reached that famous city; and 6 Dr. Wells. 'Bishop Mann. 9 " Dr. Lightfoot. |